Suction cleaner



D. G. sMl-:LLIE sUoTIoN CLEANER Filed June 29. 1931 i DONALD SMELLIE,

latented Nov. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE 4 OF CANTON, OHIO, A S SIGNOR T IDH-EA HOOVER COMPANY, 0F NORTH CANTON, OHIO, CORPORATION 0F OHIO SUCTION' CLEANER Application led June 29,

The present applicationrelates to suctionl 4 cleaners in general and particularly to a new and improved rotary agitator for suction cleaners. More specifically the present invention comprises the provision of .a rotary agitator including beating and brushing means which is of novel construction, and in which the brushing and beating elements are arranged in an improved scientific manner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved suction cleaner agitator. v It is a further object to provide, in a suction cleaner agitator, a new and novel construction in which the brush seats and the beating element are formed integrally in the agitator bodyf A still further object is to l iollowing specification and claims provide a new andv improved suction cleaner agitator in which beating elements are posi.- tioned adjacent and upon both vsides ofthe brushing element. These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the and upon considering the attached drawing to which they relate. A

In the drawing, in which a preferred embodiment' of the" present" invention is dis-v closed:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a suction cleaner with certain parts of the cleaner casing broken away disclosing a -modification of th present agitator embodied therein;

. Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 of an `embodiment ofthe present invention;

Fig. 4 is a side view of la still further embodiment of the present invention and Fig. 5- isv a section upon the line u5--5 of 1931. seriai'm. 547,562.

air passageway 4 where a pulley 8 is mounted thereon. A dust bag 9 is removably secured to the exhaust outlet 3 vbysuitable means indicatedby the reference character 10. Supporting wheels l11, 1l areN provided upon which the cleaner is easily moved over the surface covering undergoing cleaning, while a handle, indicated generally by the reference character 12, is pivoted to the machine and provides means through which the operatoi` can exert the .necessary operating force. c

The agitator, constructed in accordance with the present invention, is shown posi,

- tioned in the nozzle 1 and is indicated by the reference characterl 13. 'The agitator, as

shown in Fi res 1 and 2 comprises a hollow metallic bo y 14 provided at substantially the longitudinal lcenter with a section 15 of reduced diameter which serves as a pulley between it and the pulley 8 on the motor shaft 6. Body 14 is provided with longitud-inally-'extending reentr'ant portions 16, 16 which serve as brush seats, each extending from substantially the end of the agitator to the side ofpulley 15. The'body 14 of the agitator increases in radius, travelingin a clockwise direction as seen in Figures 1 and 2, from a point immediately adjacent each brush seat to a point immediately adjacent the opposite brush seat, to form beater elements indicated generallyV bythe reference characters-.17, 17. vThese beaters are' shown as extending axially in Figures 1 and. 2

though it is to be understood that they can be formed in curves as shown in Figure 4. Within each brush seat 16 a brush 18 of a common type is removably positioned and a stationary supporting shaft 19, which is carried at its ends by the nozzle, rotatably supports the agitator. L

The agitator shown `in Figures 1 and 2 is adapted to revolve in a. counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1. Upon the rotation of the -for the driving belt 8a which is connected driving motor of the cleaner the fan 7 is rotated thereby functioning to create a reduced pressure in the fan chamber 2, the passageway 4, and the nozzle 1. The surface covering undergoing cleaning is lifted across the mouth of the nozzle by the suction therein and contacts the rotating agitator 13 which is driven at a high rate of speed by belt 8a. With the rotation of the agitator each beating element 17 contacts the surface covering and forces it violently downward. Immediately upon the passage of a beater 17 the surface covering is contacted by the adjacent brush 18 which extends parallel thereto. The vcovering is immediately lifted by the suction and the operation is repeated.

Referring noW to Figure 3 in particular a modified embodiment of the present invention is shown in which the agitator comprises a body 20 formed With a central reduced portion 21 which functions as a pulley. Body 20 is provided with a longitudinally extending reentrant portion 22 Which functions as a brush seat. The normal radius of the body 20 is indicated by the line to Which is attached the reference character 1' and it is seen that, adjacent reentrant portion 22 and extending parallel thereto upon each of its sides, there are longitudinally extending protrusions of increased radius Whichbear the reference character 23, 23. In the operation of the agitator, constructed in accordance with this'embodiment of the invention, the beating elements 23, 23 strike the surface covering undergoing cleaning immediately before and immediately after the contact of the Ibrush element 18 therewith. These beaters 23, 23, as Well as the brush seat 22, are made integrally in the body of the agitator. The beating elements 23, 23, it should be noted, gradually decrease in height until the body of the agitator has reached the normal radius r at a point diametrically opposite the brush seat 22.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, a still further embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in which the agitator body comprises a substantially cylindrical metallic member 24 provided with reentrant portions 25, 25 which extend in helices having a common end point. These reentrant portions 25, 25 form brush seats for the detachable brush elements 26, 26 which are made to conform thereto. According to the present embodiment the beater elements 27, 27, etc. are shown as being formed of separate pieces which have been secured, as by Welding, to the body 24. As in the previous embodiments these beaters extend parallel to the brush and this embodiment resembles the embodiment of Figure 3 in that a beater element is positioned upon each side of the brush. Body 24 is provided with a reduced central portion 28 which functions as a pulley, as in the previous embodiments, and a shaft 29 extend therethrough on which the body 24 is rotatably mounted, there being thread guards 30, 30 carried yby the shaft 29 adjacent each end of the against threads and hairs etc.

I claim:

l. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a body having a brush seat, a brush positioned therein, and beater elements on said body extending closely adjacent said brush and upon the opposite sides thereof.

2. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a body having an elongated brush seat, a brush positioned in said seat, and rigid beater elements formed integrally on said body on the opposite sides of said brush and extending closely adjacent and parallel thereto.

3. In a rotary agitator for al suction cleaner, a body, longitudinally-extending surfacecontacting protrusions extending parallel on said body in curves, and an elongated brush positioned between said protrusions and extending parallel thereto.

In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a body, a plurality of spaced beater elements extending on said body in parallel pairs, an element of each pair having a common end point With an element of another pair, and brushes positioned between the elements of each pair and extending parallel thereto.

5. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a body having a longitudinally-extending beater element formed thereon, said element sloping to a maximum height on one side and dropping abruptly to a minimum height on the opposite side.

6. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a` body having a beater element formed thereon, said element sloping to a maximum height on one side and dropping abruptly to a lesser height on the opposite side, and a brush carried by said body closely adjacent said last-mentioned side.

Signed at North Canton, in the county of Stark and State ofOhio, this 18th day of June, A. D. 1931.

DONALD G. SMELLIE.

body to protect 

